CH 32

The Demon Lord’s army is divided into five main ranks.

With the exception of the dormant “Demon King”, the top five ranks are the “Demon Commander”, “Demon Captain”, “Combatant”, and “Miscellaneous Soldier”, with the “Four Demon Generals” at the top.

Basically, the ranks are determined by one’s fighting prowess, so those in the higher ranks are naturally looked up to and worshipped by the monsters.

However, at the same time, as there are positive looks, those who are in the higher ranks also receive negative looks such as envy and jealousy, just like in human society.

This was the case when the werewolf warrior Uru Garlov and his twin brother Ola Garlov were promoted to the rank of “Demon Commander” at a young age.

Uru still remembers that time well.

–It was a few years ago.

Uru and his brother were finally promoted to the rank of “Demon Commander” in praise of their war service. Considering their past contributions to the army, it was only natural.

However, since they were still young, the people around them were still very critical.

“I heard that the werewolf brothers got the credit again.”

”They must have used some cunning trick again anyway.”

“That’s right. The werewolves are always so cunning. They’re powerless to produce results otherwise. They’re truly despicable.”

These slanderous voices reached their ears one after another.

The Uru of today would have been able to ignore those voices, thinking that it was inevitable that they would be envied, but the Uru of that time was extremely bloodthirsty. Immediately, he bared his fangs and grabbed the monster that said that.

“Brother don’t worry… It’s just jealousy, that’s all.”

It was my brother who quickly stopped me.

“They can say whatever they want with their mouth, but we’re not going to fall to the same level as them.”

My brother calmly chided me.

“A true hero is shown by action, not by words. it’s okay if you just keep quiet and show your strength through action. We should just gain credit for something big enough to shut them up and show them how strong we are. And eventually, we two brothers will evolve together into werewolf kings.”

“Werewolf kings…!?

Werewolf Lord, a superior species of the werewolves.

The higher-ranking species is the werewolf king.

Even for Werewolf Lords, only a handful of the top of the species can evolve to that level. When it comes to the king, only a few countable Werewolves have ever reached that level. My brother said that he would become such a person.

“That’s right. Then it won’t be impossible to become a demon general. We could even crush those who mess up with our jaws. It might be a wild dream, but there’s no such thing as impossible with the Garlov brothers, is there?

The grinning brother was full of confidence, and it was clear that his words were not just momentary bravado.

Uru heard his brother’s words, looked into his clear eyes, and decided to believe in him. He decided to follow his brother for the rest of his life.

“That’s right, We’re going to become Demon Kings”

“Brother, let’s aim for greater heights together.”

The brothers exchanged hot words and reached out to bump each other’s fists to make the oath at that time.

My brother said that we siblings would become such an existence together… that was when.

“…… Guaah!”

Suddenly, a sword protruded from the brother’s chest.

“Ahh… Brother!!”

His brother groans and vomits blood as his gaze turns hollow.

It seems someone stabbed his brother from the back.

“You’re …… Brad von Pistel! No, that’s wrong…”

The person who stabbed my brother from behind.

At first, it was the face of the Prince of Pistel, then it morphed into the face of a Bewitching Woman.

“Lionetta…?”

I’m sure she’s one of the highest-ranking members of the demon king’s army, the “four demon generals” Lionetta.

Lionetta had an eerie smile that broke the edges of her mouth, she pulled her sword from his brother’s chest.

Then, while licking the fresh blood dripping from the sword, she slowly turned her gaze to Uru, and the next moment she swung her sword down.

Uru was caught in a snake-like gaze and couldn’t move as if he had been bound.

✳︎

“……!?”

In a huff, Uru awoke.

(Looks like it was a dream …….)

The blue sky soon came into view, and he was relieved to realize it was just a dream.

The vow between Uru and his brother actually took place that day. The memory of his brother’s murder seems to have mixed in with it and turned it into a nightmare.

(Is this the …… cemetery?).

He looked around and saw that it was a cemetery.

It was a cemetery behind the royal castle of Pistel.

It’s a historic cemetery where only royalty and famous nobles are buried, and it’s much more beautiful than ordinary cemeteries. The lawns and grass must have been tended by gardeners on a regular basis.

In a corner of this cemetery, Uru was lying down.

(Yes, I participated in the preliminary round of the Sword Dance Festival to avenge my brother’s death: ……)

He was then hit by a blow immediately afterward and was knocked out.

(Why am I here……?)

During the match, the prince had already obviously found out who I was.

Even if he hadn’t, his transformation would have been undone after he fainted and his werewolf form would have been seen. If that was the case, he would have been captured, tortured, and then executed, which is what happens to demons that fall into the hands of humans. Why is he in this cemetery, and not in a prison?

Uru looked around curiously.

“……!”

And then he saw a familiar face in his field of vision.

Immediately after. Before he could even think about it, he instinctively pounced on the man. In an instant, he closed the gap and swung his claws.

But the man was already gone, and the claws slashed through empty air with a whoosh!

(Too fast ……!?)

“…… You’re awake. If you have the energy to attack me, you’re good to go.”

The man–Brad von Pistel, Prince of Pistel laughed at me with calm eyes that were not hostile in the least.

For a moment, that unguarded smile almost knocked the anger out of me. But I immediately shook my head, bared my fangs, and threatened Brad.

“Why am I here ……?

“It’s because I brought you here. Do you know how hard it was to sneak you out without the crowd knowing?”

Brad shrugs his shoulders with a smile, undaunted by my ferocious gaze.

(Not caught, carried……?)

Uru furrows his brow.

That means–

“Did you protect me?”

“Well, I suppose so. But don’t get me wrong. It’s just that I wanted to ask you something. And that’s why I brought you here.”

“Here?”　Uru looked around curiously.

Why would he bring me to a cemetery like this? It’s not like he’s going to bury me here right after he gets the information. After all, this is a historic cemetery for the royalty and nobility of Pistel. It’s not the place to bury a monster like myself.

While I was thinking about this, Brad pointed to a gravestone.

“That’s …… your brother’s grave.”

He said a few words.

“What?”

Uru’s eyes widened and he looked at the gravestone.

There was no name engraved on the gravestone, which was covered with brand new flowers, only the date of my brother’s death. If this man was telling the truth, it’s only natural that he wouldn’t have known my brother’s name.

But it couldn’t be true.

There was no way anyone would be foolish enough to bury an enemy monster in this historic cemetery.

Even as I thought this, I checked the smell around the gravestone, and sure enough, there was a slight lingering scent of my brother’s body.

There was no doubt.

This is where my brother is buried.

“If you don’t like the way humans mourn, you can dig it back up or do whatever you want.”

When Uru turned to look at him, Brad shrugged with a sigh.

He walked over to his brother’s gravestone and gritted his teeth in front of it. He stared at it for a moment, then looked back at Brad

“Why did you mourn my brother like this?”

Brad made a thoughtful gesture.

“Your brother went on a rampage in the town and hurt the people. He was defeated by me as a result. When you think about it, I don’t hate your brother, but I certainly wouldn’t have mourned him. But this time is an exception. Your brother’s actions were not his intentions. That’s why.”

“Wasn’t his intention? What do you mean?” Uru frowned.

Brad looked at him curiously.

“You didn’t know about ……? No, you didn’t. From the looks of it, you seemed to be under the same influence.”

“influence? What are you talking about?”

“The werewolf race is a smart race. Thinking calmly, it’s obviously strange that your older brother, who is one of the higher-ranking species in your race, made such a reckless attack in the royal capital. He should have tried to stop me with more cunning and with less publicity. Your brother was probably under the influence of some kind of magic that made him lose his wits.”

Brad shrugged.

When I think about it, he’s right. My brother has always been a calm and collected man, and he was always able to keep his thirst for blood in check. It’s unnatural for him to have acted so recklessly.

“Why didn’t …… I think about it?”

Obviously, my brother’s actions were too reckless.

Why didn’t I stop him?

“I told you, you were just as insane as your brother. You were probably delirious from the illusion magic ‘confusion’.”

“Confusion?”

If he was under an illusion spell, it would explain his brother’s reckless behavior and the fact that he didn’t question his brother’s actions.

However, the werewolf tribe has naturally high resistance to such magic, even more so for myself and my brother, who had evolved into werewolf lords. There aren’t many illusion magic users who can influence us.

(No, there are ……)

There is one illusionary magician who can influence me and my brother. Only one person comes to mind.

— Lionetta, the “Puppeteer Doll Master”.

She is a master in this field, and with her illusionary magic, she could take even me and my brother by surprise. In fact, it seems probable that only she can do it.

“No way … that woman”

Before leaving for the royal capital of Pistel, Uru and his brother met with Lionetta. She said she was also coming to Pistel to get rid of Brad von Pistel, and wanted to coordinate the attack.

In the end, we decided we would go after the target on our own without getting in each other’s way. But strange enough, after meeting up with her, my brother and I started having strange thoughts. 

“Is Lionetta involved?”

When Brad suddenly asks, Uru widens his eyes.

What kind of genius mind does he have to conclude it was Lionetta. I guess his fighting prowess isn’t all he has.

This man was so smart that he was able to equip himself with magic items against abnormal states as if he knew I’d attack him. That’s how unfathomable this man is. He thought.

But even as he felt threatened by Brad von Pistel, Uru’s core was filled with even greater anger.

(Lionetta… That woman. Did she make my brother act recklessly?)

Lionetta is one of the demon generals, a person in a position Uru was supposed to respect.

However, if my brother lost his sanity due to that woman’s magic and lost his life recklessly rampaging in enemy territory, it’s not something I can forgive.

If my brother had fought and died of his own will, I would have understood. But in this case, my brother just died a dog’s death.

“…”

Uru grits his teeth and turns, his whole body trembling with rage.

What was Lionetta’s intention in casting magic on his brother and himself to make them act like that?  He had to know the reason.

“Where are you going?”

Brad calls out but Uru doesn’t look back.

“Brad von Pistel, you’ll have to wait. Watch your head.”

“Where’s Dino. Did you kill him?”

Uru paused and stared at his brother’s gravestone which Brad had made.

He mourned my brother.

I owe him a debt of gratitude for that.

“Check the second building of the academy. The warehouse.”

After saying this, Uru ran off, showing off his physical strength to the fullest.

<Brad’s POV>

(… Is it Lionetta?)

Immediately after the werewolf leaves, Brad ponders alone.

There’s no doubt that Lionetta was behind the scenes in the series of Werewolf incidents so far.

And it’s probably an event that wasn’t in the historical facts of “Final Quest.” This is because Brad behaved differently from the previous history. It seems Lionetta was ordered to dispose of Brad who was seen as dangerous after defeating the Cyclopes.

Lionetta is the one who caused Brad to fall into darkness in Final Quest. It’s hard for Brad to ignore that fact.

(But it’s dangerous to fight her now at his current level..)

Brad’s level is 56.

This is a level at which he can fight the demon king in the main story of Final Quest, and of course, he should be able to conquer the mid-boss Lionetta.

But that’s only if he had four party members. The difficulty level rises when you have to face it alone.

Even Brad, who is well versed in the ways of Lionetta, is only able to win after careful preparation.

(I think it might be safe to ask Glace and his friends to help after the rescue of Dino, and then chase the werewolf together …)

He looked in the direction the werewolf lord took off to.

Lionetta is childish and cruel. She basically thinks that people are toys for her entertainment. She’s a woman who will tell him that making his Brother rampage in the town seemed fun to her.

I don’t think the werewolf lord will remain calm when told that his brother died in vain just so she could have fun. It’s likely that he would get angry and bare his fangs at her.

And if that happens, he will almost certainly be killed by Lionetta.

(If I try to get reinforcements, there won’t be enough time and it will be too late.)

And the monster will die.

He was originally after my own life.

However, I have a slight feeling of guilt for killing his older brother. I didn’t think of the monster’s life being threatened by Lionetta as someone else’s affair.

Above all, the misfortunes of the werewolves are probably caused by Brad changing historical facts with his previous life’s memories.

(No no no, to sympathize with an enemy who was aiming for my life, am I an idiot. This is something that isn’t seen even in recent Shounen mangas)

Brad shakes his head.

After thinking for a while, Brad takes a small breath.

Then he took out a magic stone for communication and poured his magic power into it.

“Yes, this is Avus your highness. Can I help you with something?”

Soon, the magic stone emitted a pale light and connected to Avus, the head steward of the royal palace.

“Can you send someone to the academy now?”

“… to the academy?”

Brad nods in response to Avus’s curiously tone.

“There’s a place I want you to check. I’d really like to check it out for myself, but I’ve got some other things I need to attend to.”